


Invisible Ink

by kadollan



Category: Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-14
Updated: 2012-11-14
Packaged: 2017-11-18 16:41:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/563172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kadollan/pseuds/kadollan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve knows that Natasha has a tattoo, but it isn’t until they are sparring that he finds out more.</p>
<p>Written for the prompt, “Steve knows what Natasha's tattoo is. How did he find out?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Invisible Ink

**Author's Note:**

> As always, many thanks are due to my dear ~~beta~~ cheerleader (this is largely un-betaed), [CyberMathWitch](http://cybermathwitch.livejournal.com/). Thank you darling! Any remaining mistakes are, of course, my own.

Steve knew that Natasha had a tattoo from that darned “never did I ever” game that Darcy’d roped them all into playing. 

He hadn’t asked any questions about it though, because he figured if she wanted him to know about it he already would. And if she didn’t, no amount of asking would make any difference. Besides, he knew what it was like to feel like your body wasn't really yours anymore; in so many ways they were owned body and soul by the jobs they did. He thought she had the right to keep her tattoo private if she wanted to. Some part of her body that was hers and hers alone.

When he found her tattoo, it was totally an accident. He hadn’t been looking for it — in fact he didn’t even see it, he felt it. They were sparring, and her shirt rode up in just the right place as his hand brushed her back. The skin was a little different, a hint of a raised area maybe? He wasn’t entirely sure what he’d felt and then she was coming right back at him and he didn’t have any more time to think about it.

Later, when they were cooling down, he asked her about it. Asked if he could check the spot he’d felt. He wasn’t thinking about tattoos at all. He was worried about scar damage, or maybe a wound or… he didn’t even know, it was just that he couldn’t get the feeling off of his fingertips, and he thought if he looked at her back, saw that there wasn’t anything there, he could let it go.

She looked at him for several seconds, measuring his request, then she shrugged and pulled off her teeshirt.

Steve swallowed, as she turned her back. She was wearing a tight black covering that left her arms and midriff bare, and Steve told himself that she was a soldier and to get a hold of himself.

Her back was perfectly smooth. “Do you mind if I…?” he wasn’t sure what he was asking.

She shrugged again, glancing up at him over her shoulder. “Go ahead.”

Tentatively, he reached out and traced his fingers over the part of her back that he’d felt before. There was something there — he could feel it. “What is it?”

“It’s the tattoo,” she answered. “I told you I had one, remember?”

“Did they use invisible ink?” He traced his fingers over the pattern one last time. He still couldn’t really see it, but he was getting an idea of the shape. He wondered if he’d be able to draw it later.

He stepped back and let his hand drop as she pulled her shirt back on.

“Something like that,” she smiled at him again.

“I’ll bet there’s a story there.” He was inviting her to tell him.

“There is. Maybe one day I’ll tell it. Good match.” She smiled again and grabbed her water bottle.

Steve hadn’t quite managed to say, “Yeah,” before she was gone.


End file.
